


Run For Your Life

by smittenwithsugden



Series: Robert Week 2017 [7]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Cutting, M/M, Mild Language, Psychological Torture, Robert Week 2017, Torture, kidnap, knifes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-12-23 08:03:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11985648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smittenwithsugden/pseuds/smittenwithsugden
Summary: Robert Week 2017 - Day 7 - Write a scene, from a storyline, you wish would be given to Robert





	Run For Your Life

**Author's Note:**

> Every title for all of my fics for Robert Week are song titles from the album "Rubber Soul" by The Beatles.
> 
> Huge thanks to Laura and Carla for organising this week and to Zo'e and the rest of the bubble for being my cheerleaders.

Robert was running late. His alarm had been set wrong, and he had to get to his meeting for Home Farm. Sweet talking a client not to jump ship. Easy, actually, but not if he was arriving late.

He pulled Vic’s front door shut behind him and hurried to his car. The village was untypical quiet, no one on the streets. He unlocked his car on the way down the little path from the house to the street. He opened the door and threw his bag, phone and keys on the passenger seat and then went to go around to actually get in when he heard a voice call out to him.

He turned around, saw a bat and then everything went black.

 

 

“Hiya, how’s it going?” Vic asked as Rebecca came into the bar.

“Oh, never better," Rebecca said but sat down with a huge sigh.

The eye roll from Aaron down the bar earned him a chuckle from Adam.

“What’s going on?” Vic asked.

"Just another client who is jumping ship," she sighed. "Apparently, he was supposed to meet with Robert, but he never showed."

“The client or Robert?” Vic asked.

“Robert,” Rebecca sighed.

“What?” Vic asked. “That doesn’t sound like him.”

“Maybe he had better things to do,” Adam said with a wide grin, but he got nudged in the side by Aaron’s elbow for his trouble.

Rebecca's head shot up, and she eyed Aaron.

“Was he with you?” she asked and in her tone was something lingering, considering, that made Aaron raise his eyebrows.

“Why would he be?” he asked back instead of answering.

“Did you two get it on again?” Vic asked surprised.

“Where is he now?” Rebecca asked.

Aaron rolled his eyes again.

“Relax, he wasn’t with me. He’s all yours,” he said and got up. “Oh no, wait, he doesn’t want you like that. Shame, but good luck anyway.”

“Aaron!” Vic said appalled.

“Whatever,” Aaron muttered, shook his head and left the pub, closely followed by Adam.

“You got a mouth on you today, don’t you?” Adam asked with a laugh. “So, you really don’t know where Robert is?”

“Why would I?” Aaron asked back. “He probably hooked up with some random somewhere and lost track of time. I don’t care. He’s not my problem anymore.”

Adam laughed and walked ahead, so he didn’t see how Aaron’s face fell for a second.

 

 

When Robert came to, the first thing he felt was pain; he couldn’t breathe properly, and his head was throbbing.

As soon as his eyes had adjusted to the darkness around him, he saw that he was in a damp, dark little room, probably in a cellar somewhere. He was laying on the ground, and the coldness was seeping through his clothes into his shivering body.

Robert scrambled into a sitting position, thinking his legs and arms were free but then realised that his right leg was actually chained and connected to a ring drilled into the hard-concrete floor. Somebody had really thought this through.

And then the panic came, like a cold shower, shivers wracking his sore body. Somebody had done this to him. Someone wanted him out of the way. There wasn't anyone to blackmail on his behalf; he knew that. Nobody would care enough about him to actually pay money to get him out. So this had to be personal.

“You awake?” a voice came hollering from the other side of the door.

Robert tried to identify the voice, but it sounded like whoever it was had altered his or her voice mechanically.

“What do you want?” he called out, trying to keep any fear he was feeling out of his voice.

“Oh you will see,” the metallic voice answered.

 

 

The sound of the phone ringing on the bedside table pulled Aaron out of the comfortable doze he’d been enjoying.

“Aaron? It’s Vic,” Victoria said when Aaron finally picked up.

“Vic? It’s way after 11, what’s going?” Aaron asked looking at the clock.

"I just got home from work," Vic said. "And Robert's car is up front, keys, phone, stuff, all in the front seat, but he's not home and nowhere to be seen."

“He’s not here,” Aaron said annoyed. “I haven’t seen him since last week.”

“Really? Since your fight?” Vic asked surprised.

“Really,” Aaron said, having a quick flashback of him telling Robert that he can do whatever he likes, that it doesn’t concern him anymore, that he didn’t care.

Oh, how he wished that was true.

“His phone is in the car, too?” he asked after a moment considering, he knew Robert would never, ever go anywhere without his phone.

“Yes,” Vic said. “That’s weird, right? Even if he…”

“Met someone,” Aaron finished and closed his eyes. “You can say it.”

“… he wouldn’t have left his phone,” Vic finished.

"I'd say wait till the morning," Aaron said, "Maybe hell froze over, and he actually forgot his phone for once."

“Okay,” Vic said, not sounding totally convinced.

Aaron wanted to ask her to text him when Robert eventually turned up, he wanted to tell her to call him anytime, but it really wasn't his place anymore. He had to stop; he really had to work on getting Robert Sugden out of his head. It was time to move on if only someone would tell his heart.

 

 

Aaron woke up later than usual because he had a hard time falling asleep after Vic’s phone call the night before.

He grabbed his phone immediately and saw he had a text from Vic.

**_Vic 8.46am:_ **

_“He’s still not home. I’m really getting worried now. You think somebody could have done something to him?”_

And there it was. Aaron felt the little hairs on his neck stand up, and the feeling of worry settle in his chest. There were enough people in this village who would want to get their hands on him for various reasons.

“I’ll ask around,” he wrote back quickly and got up.

He got showered and dressed quickly, and thirty minutes later he walked into the garage.

“Cain,” he said, “you wouldn’t lie to me, right?”

Cain raised an eyebrow at that. “Not usually, why?”

“Have you seen Robert lately?” he asked.

“In the pub a few days ago,” Cain said with a shrug. “Why? What did he do this time?”

“Nothing,” Aaron replied and added, when Cain didn’t look convinced, “He’s been missing since yesterday morning. Vic is worried.”

“Oh, _Vic_ is worried, right,” Cain said and shook his head. “Well, it’s got nothing to do with me.”

“Okay,” Aaron said, eyeing him still.

“Listen,” Cain said. “I got nothing against the guy. Yeah, okay he is a bit too arrogant for my taste, and I hate that he hurt ya, but I would never lay a finger on him without your say so.”

Aaron let out a deep breath he had not realised he was holding and said, “If you see or hear anything…”

Cain nodded. “I call you,” Cain said. “And if you need help… anything…. You know he is sort of family, too.”

“Thanks,” Aaron said, not allowing himself to think about the family thing for too long.

 

 

Robert heard the key in the lock, and he put on his brave face immediately.

The person who came in surprised him, even though he should have probably put him on his list when he had thought about who would do this to him.

“You?” he asked. “Why?”

“Because I don’t like to lose," the person said. "I never lose. And you… You are my way of assuring that I won't again.”

“It’s not gonna work,” Robert said. “I mean, I knew you weren’t the brightest light in the street, but this is all kind of stupid and…”

He got hit so fast he didn't even see it coming. Blood was streaming out of his nose, and after the first cry of pain he pressed his lips together and tried to wipe away the blood.

“Shut up,” the person said. “This will break him. Not being able to save you. Losing his family. His darling little sister is next by the way. One by one I will pick his family apart."

“He doesn’t care about me anymore,” Robert spat out.

“Please, who’s the dumb one now?”

"He won't come looking for me," Robert said, and the realisation hit him once again.

“Maybe we should give him a hint of what’s to come then, hmm?” the person said and got his phone out and handed it to Robert. “Type in his number and don’t even try to tell me you don’t know it by heart.”

Robert took the phone with shaking hands, his brain working overtime on how he could use this but he came up blank.

He saw the person draw a knife. “Now,” he threatened, and Robert typed in Aaron's number.

 

 

Aaron was on his way to Home Farm. He didn't even know why, because Rebecca had obviously no idea where Robert was. But still, Lawrence, Lachlan, Chrissie, all people who could potentially want to harm Robert or at least get him out of the way.

He was just parking his car when he got a call from an unknown number.

“Dingle,” he answered.

“Shouldn’t that be Livesy?” he heard and all of a sudden, he knew. Everything fell into place. It all made a sick kind of sense.

“You?” he asked. “I thought we were….”

"What?" Jason snarled. "You give me a little lesson, and all is well? Yeah, well, guess what, my kid wants nothing to do with me. She hates me. I thought I could…. Anyway, you made me think I could have a family. Turns out, I can't. So, you don’t get to keep yours either.”

“So, you kidnap my _ex_?” Aaron asked, his chest tightening at the words. “Not your smartest move, I must say.”

“So you really don’t care about him anymore?” Jason asked with a dark laugh. “Let’s check.”

He put the phone on speaker, and the next thing Aaron heard was how Robert cried out in pain.

“What do you want from me?” Aaron yelled out, all manner of horrors flashing in his brain.

It took a moment but then Jason’s voice was clear and near again.

“I’m sending you an address. Come by and find out. And no police or friends, or he’s dead immediately.”

The line went dead, and Aaron stared at the display.

“Come on, come on,” he mumbled and then a text came in. He punched the address in his navigation and hit the gas.

 

 

“Now,” Jason said. “You still think he doesn’t care?”

Robert just pressed his lips together; he would not fall for Jason’s goading.

“We are gonna have so much fun,” Jason said, pacing back and forth in front of Robert. “I can’t wait for his face when he has to watch me kill you.”

Robert pressed his hand to his face, his nose was still bleeding, and the cut on his cheek that Jason put there during the call was burning. His fingers came away sticky with blood.

Jason's phone was ringing, and it startled them both.

"Yes?" he answered. "Oh, good… Good… Yeah, bring her in," he said and hung up.

“You’re gonna get some company,” he said to Robert with a disturbingly smug grin. “A nice, little, family reunion.”

Robert could hear her before he could see her.

“What do you want from me? Don’t touch me! I said, leave me!”

There was a knock at the door, and Jason turned the key and in came one of Jason’s bullies with Liv.

“Nooo,” Robert called out at the sight of her struggling against her captor.

“Ah, isn’t this nice,” Jason grinned and nodded to the other guy who left quickly.

Jason grabbed Liv roughly by the arm and threw her on the ground next to Robert.

"What's happening?" Liv asked, and Robert could tell that she tried to act cool but was actually terrified.

“We’re gonna play a nice little game as soon as your brother get her,” Jason told her. “It will take him a while, so I leave you two to it.”

And with that, he was gone.

“You look horrible,” Liv said to Robert and her eyes gazed over his face.

"Listen to me, Liv," Robert said hurriedly. "He's crazy. He wants Aaron to pay for his misery.  You know Aaron would do anything for you. So as soon as Aaron gets here, you act as tough as you can, okay? Make him think it's all not that bad before he does anything stupid."

“What about you, though?” Liv asked.

“Oh, we’re not… I mean….,” Robert stammered.

“He broke up with you,” Liv said.

“How do you know?” he asked.

Liv scoffed. “He came to Ireland without you and without a ring on his finger, I’m not daft.”

“Yeah, well…,” Robert started.

“There’s time to explain later,” Liv said. “Are you okay?”

Her hands were tied behind her back, but she still managed to scoot closer, placing her smaller hand in his and clinging on tight.

"I'll live," he said, and then it hit him that that might not be true and he shuffled closer to Liv as well, giving her hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze back.

“Don’t try and be the hero,” Liv said softer than he ever heard her, clearly not buying his bravado.

 

 

Aaron arrived at the address – a big house in the middle of nowhere – and stopped the car.

He wanted to rush inside, but then he realised how stupid that would have been. This could not end well at all, and he needed somebody to know where they were if it all went wrong.

He quickly sent a text to Cain, telling him where he was and that he was NOT to come or who knew what Jason would do.

 

 

“Look, who decided to join us,” Jason said mockingly as he walked through the door with Aaron.

“Liv!” Aaron called out, fear gripping him, but then he saw the state Robert was in and his heart clenched even harder.

He wanted to rush over there, but Jason held him back. Without looking Aaron could feel that he had a knife pressed to his arm.

“You stay over there,” he said and pointed to the wall opposite Robert and Liv. “And just watch.”

Jason walked over and stood between Robert and Liv.

"Get up, you two," he hissed, and Liv and Robert managed to scramble to their feet, helping each other to stand.

Just now Aaron saw the full extent of Robert's injuries; his face was coated with blood, it was smeared under his nose and from a cut on his cheek. Dried blood marred the usually golden hair that Aaron used to love running his fingers through on lazy Sunday's, a result of a massive blow to the head maybe, and he was weirdly holding his arm.

“Leave them alone,” Aaron hissed.

“Oh, but I haven’t even started yet,” Jason said with an evil smile. “We’re gonna play a nice little game of _Who’d you rather_.”

“You better pick me every damn time,” Robert hissed, already knowing what that sicko had planned for them.

“Aww,” Jason fake sighed. “Look at that hero. Why did you dump him, Livesy? He’s obviously mad about you and just sick enough to be your type.”

“Why’d you take him if you knew I dumped him?” Aaron asked.

“Ha,” Jason laughed out dryly. “You might think I’m stupid, but I can read people. Blondie here paid me five grand with a shrug of a shoulder just to keep you safe. It doesn't scream hateful ex to me. And you, you kept him around even though he annoyed you with that. I told you about the money, and you didn't kick him out. Which means, his support means something to you. It's all about family, right, Livesy?"

“Fight me,” Aaron said. “You wanted me, here I am. Let them go.”

“Oh, it’s too late for that now,” Jason said. “You hurt my feelings, and now I'm feeling petty. Let’s begin, shall we?”

Jason grabbed Liv’s arm and pushed up her sleeve, and then did the same with Robert.

"Who would you rather see getting a nice, little lightning bolt carved into their skin?" Jason asked.

“Aaron,” Robert hissed.

“You’re a sick bastard,” Aaron hissed.

“Tick tock, Aaron,” Jason said. “I’m giving you thirty seconds, or I will just pick both.”

Aaron clenched his fists, his jaw so tense, it was a wonder it didn’t break.

“Aaron,” Robert hissed again. “For fuck’s sake, say my name.”

"Robert," Aaron said, and Robert could see him tensing up, bracing himself for the cut and so close to snapping.

Jason grabbed Robert's arm, and he felt the sharp pain of the knife, he pressed his lips together and tried to ignore the pain.

“And now,” Jason said pulling Robert’s shirt up and then Liv’s. “On to the stomach. That is where you like to cut, isn’t it, Livesy? What about it, matching his and his scars? Yes? No?”

“Fuck you,” Aaron hissed.

“Never gonna happen,” Jason said. “Pick a name. Tick tock.”

Aaron pressed his lips together, his eyes flicking between Robert and Liv.

“Aaron, just do it,” Robert pressed out.

“Yeah, Aaron, just do it,” Jason said mockingly.

“I’m so sorry,” Aaron said, his voice breaking, eyes locking with Robert’s. “Robert.”

Jason grinned at him evilly, and then he cut Robert's stomach, not deep, but enough for it to hurt, blood bleeding to the surface of his fair skin making Robert cried out in pain.

“I’m so sorry, Robert,” Aaron uttered guilt clawing at him.

“Don’t,” Robert said, shaking his head.

His hand was clutching his stomach now, red seeping through the light blue cotton of his shirt.

“Now, let’s see,” Jason said. “Where else? Oh, I know, we still have the other arm. This time let’s go a bit deeper though, right?”

 

 

Jason pulled up the other arm’s sleeves on both Robert and Liv. Robert was shaking by now, the blood loss slowly getting to him.

“Who is it going to be?” Jason asked.

In that moment, when the seconds ticked by and the pain from the various cuts almost made him pass out, Robert wished Aaron would pick Liv. For the tiniest flash of thought, Robert wanted Aaron to choose his well-being over anybody's else's. For that glimpse of a second, he allowed himself to imagine that he would actually be someone's first choice.

“Pick me,” Liv said. “I can take it.”

The guilt hit Robert like a rock, what was he thinking? This wasn’t about him. This was about keeping Liv safe. This wonderful, strong, young girl who had just tried to put him first. And suddenly it was clearer than ever to Robert, that these two people were his family. Aaron and Liv. That would never change, and he would do anything to protect them.

“Shut up,” Robert hissed at her, pain causing him to be harsh even as his love for her and hers for him soothed him. He looked at Aaron. “Just me, you hear me? Only me.”

“I can’t, I’m so sorry,” Aaron said, his voice whimpering. “I’m so sorry, Robert.”

"I'll take that as your choice," Jason said, and the knife cut in Robert's arm, deeper now and Robert couldn't help himself, he sank down to his knees.

“Pick me,” Liv hissed. “He needs a break. It’s okay, I promise.”

“Uh, next one would be the back, you sure you can take that, little one?” Jason mocked.

“Seriously, pick me,” Liv said. “I’m doing way better than he is.”

“Aaron,” Robert panted from his sitting position. “I can take it.”

 

 

“I’m so sorry, sorry, sorry,” Aaron mumbled. He felt like he was numb. All of this was his fault. The two most important people in his life were in danger because of him.

“Stop it,” Robert said. “Just say my name.”

“I love you,” Aaron blurted out. “I really, really do.”

“You’re better off without me,” Robert said. “It’s okay. Save Liv.”

 Aaron pressed his lips together, wiping away the tears that just wouldn’t stop rolling. He closed his eyes and then he said it. “Robert.”

“Noo!" Liv called out, and Jason laughed.

“You all are just a family of idiots, aren’t you?” Jason said, and with an evil grin, he slowly but surely cut a long line across Robert's back.

He cried out in pain and could barely hold himself up anymore, Liv’s warm hand in his helping to keep him grounded, focused.

“Okay,” Jason said, “this is getting boring. Let’s cut to the chase.”

He put the knife away and the next moment, out of nowhere, he was holding a gun.

“No!" Aaron cried out. "It's enough; you’ve done enough! Leave them be.”

“Shut up,” Jason snapped.

"Robert," Aaron said through tears. "I love you; you know that, right? I never stopped. This is not gonna end us, you hear me?"

“No,” Robert shook his head slowly. “It is. And it’s okay.”

He swallowed hard, trying not to cry because his skin was feeling like it was being peeled from his body. He didn't want to scar Liv; he could feel her beginning to shake against him. “You are better off without me. You know it, and I know it. This is okay. You pick me, ok? You and Liv, that's real."

He had troubles breathing now, slurring his words a little.

“I don’t wanna be without you anyway,” he managed to get out. “Let me do this last thing for you.”

“What did I tell you about being the hero, you idiot?” Liv choked out.

“Aww this is all really heartwarming,” Jason said and turned around to Aaron. “But it’s time to choose now, Livesy. Who can you live without? Your so-called husband or your sister?”

Before Aaron could open his mouth, Jason’s phone rang.

“What?” he snapped. “Why? For fuck’s sake. Yeah, okay.”

He hung up and turned to Aaron.

“You stay right where you are,” he barked and then he was out the door.

They could hear the key turn in the lock, and the next moment Aaron was flying over to where Liv and Robert were.

Aaron untied Liv’s ties around her wrists and then took his hoodie off, with shaking hands he examined Robert’s cuts.

“Get back,” Robert hissed.

“Shut up,” Aaron snapped.

He untied Robert’s wrists as well and then managed to get Robert’s shirt off.

He handed his hoodie to Liv and said, “Press this on the cut on his arm.”

He did the same with Robert’s shirt to the cut on Robert’s back.

Robert winced in pain and shook his head. “Just let him shoot me,” he said.

"Shut up," Aaron said again. "Nobody is gonna gets shot today. We're gonna get out of here, and you are gonna move back in, and we are gonna be done being stupid. Understood?"

"Okay, whatever you want," Robert said, but his speaking was slow and dragging, and Aaron could feel the urge panic fill him again.

Then there was the key in the lock again, and Robert tried to nudge him.

“Go,” Robert tried to push him away.

“No,” Aaron said and got up to stand in front of him and Liv.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Jason bellowed. “Get back to your wall!”

"No," Aaron said, and he hated that his voice was wavering.

Jason stepped into the room, leaving the door open behind him.

“I will just shoot all three of you then,” Jason said.

"Do it then," Aaron said. "Because of your question from earlier? Who can I live without? The answer is neither. I tried and the only time in my life I was truly happy was when I had both of them right by my side. So, you might as well shoot me first, because I will not let you harm them anymore as long as I’m still breathing.”

Jason shook his head slowly, all the while he was edging closer.

"Aww, that is so touching. Your heroism won't save you or them. Don't think I won't do it," Jason said, lifting the gun and pointing it at Aaron's face.

“Nooo!” Liv cried out. “Leave him alone!”

“Aaron,” Robert panted out. “Please, get out of the way! You have to be there for Liv. She needs you! Move!”

"No," Aaron said, and then his eyes widened in surprise. “Game over, Jason.”

Jason heard a step, whirled around and the last thing he saw was Cain Dingle’s fist.

 

 

“They have taken him down to the station,” Cain said, stepping up to Aaron where he was standing next to his car. “How’s Robert and Liv?”

"They're examining them briefly right now, deciding if they need to take them to the hospital or not. I mean Robert is… He was…," Aaron stammered, and Cain put his hand on his shoulder.

"He'll be fine. He's flipping Sugden; he always pulls through."

“Aaron Dingle?” a paramedic asked coming over to them.

“Yeah?” Aaron asked.

“We’ve decided to take them both down to the hospital,” he explained. “You can ride with one of them if you want.”

Aaron looked from one ambulance to the other, he took a step towards Robert’s but then paused.

"I'll go with Liv," Cain said. "Keep an eye on her, and I will see you there."

Aaron swallowed hard, but nodded, shooting him a thankful look.

He walked over to the ambulance Robert was in but was stopped by another paramedic.

“Only family allowed,” he said. “Your mate is gonna be fine. You can see…”

“He’s my husband,” Aaron cut him off and walked right past him to get in the ambulance.

Robert was laying on the stretcher, covered by a blanket; he actually managed to smile at Aaron.

“You’re hot when you’re bossy,” he said.

“Oh, shut up,” Aaron quipped and took his hand in his.


End file.
